Recruitment Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention Discussion​

-	Player	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029
1	Bunty Afoa	✔
2	Tom Ale	✔
3	Mitchell Barnett	✔	✔	✔
4	Rocco Berry	✔	✔
5	Tanah Boyd	✔	✔
6	Kurt Capewell	✔	✔
7	Erin Clark	✔	✔	✔
8	Jett Cleary	✔	S	S
9	Wayde Egan	✔	✔	✔
10	James Fisher-Harris	✔	✔	✔	✔
11	Jackson Ford	✔	✔	✔
12	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
13	Morgan Harper	✔
14	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
15	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
16	Edward Kosi	✔
17	Jacob Laban	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
18	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
19	Jye Linnane	✔	✔	✔	✔
20	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
21	Te Maire Martin	✔
22	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
23	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔	✔
24	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
25	Adam Pompey	✔	✔	✔
26	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔	✔	✔
27	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
28	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
29	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
30	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔	✔
S1	Kayliss Fatialofa	S
S2	Kalani Going	S
S3	Luke Hanson	S
S4	Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	S	✔	✔
S5	Sio Kali	S
S6	Patrick Moimoi	S
-	Kahu Capper	T	T
-	Morgan Gannon	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Top 30 2025: 30/30
Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Top 30 2026: 26/30
Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos)
2026 Losses: Edward Kosi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Te Maire Martin
Can negotiate with other clubs from Nov 1, 2025 (Entering final year) : Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[CWC]

My imaginary timeline based on hierarchy right now

2026 - TMM/CHT/Boyd/Linnane, Boyd possibly released when Metcalf returns

2027 - Metcalf/Linnane/CHT/Jett

2028 - Metcalf/Linnane/Jett/CHT

2029 Metcalf/Linnane/Jett/CHT

If Linnane has it he’d be a gun half by 2028 and Jett is first year becoming a regular by then, so Metcalf needs to be at least here to bridge for a one year extension, I can see us offering him a 2 year 2M extension to manage our risks & if he bails after that, we still have 2 players with the exact same quality as him and Webby’s proven what he can do with these projects

If Luke bails after ‘26 then TMM probably keeps getting extended with CHT until our own crop is ready, Linnane just becomes the new Metcalf in 2027

 

[Five&Last]

My imaginary timeline based on hierarchy right now

2026 - TMM/CHT/Boyd/Linnane, Boyd possibly released when Metcalf returns

2027 - Metcalf/Linnane/CHT/Jett

2028 - Metcalf/Linnane/Jett/CHT

2029 Metcalf/Linnane/Jett/CHT

If Linnane has it he’d be a gun half by 2028 and Jett is first year becoming a regular by then, so Metcalf needs to be at least here to bridge for a one year extension, I can see us offering him a 2 year 2M extension to manage our risks & if he bails after that, we still have 2 players with the exact same quality as him and Webby’s proven what he can do with these projects

If Luke bails after ‘26 then TMM probably keeps getting extended with CHT until our own crop is ready, Linnane just becomes the new Metcalf in 2027

CHT is gone after this contract imo, unless he commits to hooker. There’s just better talent coming through

There’s also no guarantee Jett lasts more than one year in the top 30. He has one year guaranteed there.

My bet is that by 2029 our top 30 halves are:
1. Luke Metcalf
2. Jye Linnane
3. Jack Thompson
4. Alapati Tusa Soagia
5. Tyson Hansen

 

[tyrael]

We can dream, but I can’t see us beating GC or Perth.

Pretty sure he's sick of losing. He's not staying at Titans with another new coach, and perth is an unknown.

More likely he goes to like Eels than those two.

I think he would be a great fit for us. We need a big body.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

holding off on TMM partly so they could sign him cheap knowing TMM loves the land here

how are those things related? If "TMM loves the land here" they could have lowballed him at anytime knowing he'll take it.

How does anyone know that TMM wasn’t wanted?

Because we never offered him a deal until our main half went down, and then our back up half got promoted then demoted. You cant honestly say thats evidence that TMM was a priority signing

 

[kos]

how are those things related? If "TMM loves the land here" they could have lowballed him at anytime knowing he'll take it.

Because we never offered him a deal until our main half went down, and then our back up half got promoted then demoted. You cant honestly say thats evidence that TMM was a priority signing

Ok frank.
He is resigned now.
Why and how is now irrelevant.
TMM is here for 26.

 

[Theking267]

The Dolphins game changed everything. After that Boyd is now the 3rd string halfback, TMM is the backup and will be starting the first month of the season next year.

 

[steakncheese]

If Niukore is on a supposed $850k per season, that would be handy to put towards a million a season if he took that? Long odds I know, and we’re fast needing spots in the team for these young guys playing well

Yup use Maratas money fosure, he only got the money because he signed when no one wanted to come here, now he’s just a filler.

 

[Blain]

Does anyone here rate Sandon Smith? Reckon him and Metcalf could be dynamite together. Only if we could get an early release.

Don't mind the shout, he's 22 with 40+ games under his belt. He's played some blinders too, can do a bit of everything. His defence is a little iffy, if he got that sorted he'd be a great 6. Offers more in attack than CHT certainly. BUT - With 6 halves on the books already he's no chance for us. Be a good pick up for the Eels, Knights or Dragons maybe, I see he's linked to Raiders which makes sense if Sanders doesn't step up well.

 

[jumpman5xl]

Don't mind the shout, he's 22 with 40+ games under his belt. He's played some blinders too, can do a bit of everything. His defence is a little iffy, if he got that sorted he'd be a great 6. Offers more in attack than CHT certainly. BUT - With 6 halves on the books already he's no chance for us. Be a good pick up for the Eels, Knights or Dragons maybe, I see he's linked to Raiders which makes sense if Sanders doesn't step up well.

Yeah fair enough point bro. Just a thought

 

[Cces]

TMM is the backup and will be starting the first month of the season next year.

I very much doubt that Boyd's next 5-7 matches this year & the entire preseason campaign now has no significance to who starts at Halfback to begin 2026.
For all we know, TMM's contract negotiations may have all revolved around becoming a specialist #14

 

[Completion Rate]

Ye we need a fullback that’s not Charnze or taine, we won’t win a premiership with either of them there. Ideally we go to the market, it not I think Jye Linnane would be gun there, or we could try Berry if he gets through these injuries

I never considered Berry a possibility at Fullback, but when you think about it, it kinda works.. maybe not express pace, but he's solid, a great 1 on 1 tackler and has fantastic distribution. I could see it happening.

 

[Theking267]

I very much doubt that Boyd's next 5-7 matches this year & the entire preseason campaign now has no significance to who starts at Halfback to begin 2026.
For all we know, TMM's contract negotiations may have all revolved around becoming a specialist #

Just looking it at from Boyd’s dropping. According to Webster they want to play 2 hookers going forward

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

how are those things related? If "TMM loves the land here" they could have lowballed him at anytime knowing he'll take it.

Because we never offered him a deal until our main half went down, and then our back up half got promoted then demoted. You cant honestly say thats evidence that TMM was a priority signing

Didn’t we? You sure?
I agree he’s not a “priority signing” and I dare say the club (if not both parties) took a “wait and see approach”.

I bet he’s looking signs past 2026 tbh.

In a nutshell, TMM is an “insurance policy”.
Low risk, low reward, safe signing. Probably cheap too. He’s really not holding anyone back. And he’s a good player, but that’s all he is. And if given the opportunity, he isn’t going anywhere.

You must note it’s also in TMMs interest to only sign a 1 year deal. NRL expansion and If either Boyd or Metcalf leave in 2026 (it’s not even 50/50). What if they BOTH leave………….
His salary/worth to the club significantly increases.

Happy for Jett and Linnane to come through but they’re far from sure bets and will probably take time. (Which I’m happy to give)

 

[Cces]

Is Niukore now the only guy on the roster that hasn't been signed/extended by Webster at some stage?

 

[Falcon]

If you are being aggressively optimistic - you throw everything at Farnworth for a centre/ Fullback start, for the 27 season.
Tino would be a great get - you would need to pay more than he’s on but not match the Bears. There is probably a small window in the next 2 years to make it viable for these types of signings before the young guys max out their contract upgrades and demand more money as experienced first graders and we transition out of our current crop of old players on big salaries - Niukore, Capewell, Barnett, DWZ.

 

[CWC]

Is Niukore now the only guy on the roster that hasn't been signed/extended by Webster at some stage?

Wonder if Laban is being used more as a prop/2nd row hybrid so we have room for EIT and Fats later

 

[Completion Rate]

I've said this before but: pinch Cody Vai off Counties to play wing. He went to De la Salle with Demetric. Hes tall, rangey, 7s motor and incredibly skilled in a way that's undervalued in ra-ra where enterprising play is stifled.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

I've said this before but: pinch Cody Vai off Counties to play wing. He went to De la Salle with Demetric. Hes tall, rangey, 7s motor and incredibly skilled in a way that's undervalued in ra-ra where enterprising play is stifled.

He plays for Auckland & nz 7s. He ain’t coming

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Off contract in November:

Ale
Afoa
Metcalf
Tuaupiki
Berry
Capewell

 

[Blain]

Off contract in November:

Ale
Afoa
Metcalf
Tuaupiki
Berry
Capewell

That list isn't right at all.. Ale Afoa are off contract, the rest are signed for next season but are able to negotiate with rivals.